I don’t get Snapchat

I’ve never felt older than the day my little brother tried to explain Snapchat to me. Something disappears, something stays, swipe left, swipe up—why does this app have the user interface of a secret government file?

So, we’ve already established that I’m an emotionally unstable recluse dipping her toe into the social side of social media for personal gain. Now, let’s talk about Snapchat.

What is its purpose?

See, my brain demands logic. If something exists, it needs to have a clear function and execute that function properly—otherwise, it’s stupid. Maybe that’s why I’ve developed this unattainable idea of social media, where every app has a role, and every post has a purpose.

Facebook? That’s for keeping up with people you don’t actually like. Half of my Facebook friends are family members who comment things like, “A lady shouldn’t talk like this” or “I got some old clothes if you wanna see if you can fit them.” The other half is people from my childhood I barely remember but can now confirm peaked in high school. Naturally, I ditched Facebook.

Twitter? That’s where I could say whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. (Which, in hindsight, probably wasn’t a great idea.) But that’s what made Twitter so great—it was chaotic, it was loud, and it was mine.

Then came Instagram and Vine. I still mostly lurked, but I felt satisfied watching people live their best lives. I didn’t even notice I was missing those personal connections that make it all worth it—my cousin’s new baby pictures, my best friend’s engagement post. The people I actually knew were living their lives, and I was too busy watching strangers chase their dreams—people I’d never met but somehow felt closer to than the ones I actually knew. I watched them upgrade their lifestyles, all while convincing myself that kind of glow-up was only meant for the famed, the perfect, the beautiful.

And then there’s Snapchat.

Again, I ask: What is its purpose?

Every time my baby brother tries to explain it to me—what disappears, what doesn’t, why you have to swipe left, then right, then up—I feel like a full-on boomer. And why are there only three buttons? What are they hiding?

It’s just not for me.

But thankfully, TikTok exists.

Unlike Snapchat, I get TikTok. The vibe is chill. The engagement is real. And best of all? It doesn’t seem to punish you for flopping. I’ve seen “top creators” with one viral video and a feed full of duds. And yet, they’re still winning.

I spent hours on TikTok, actually engaging like a normal human being—liking, commenting, sharing. It was refreshing, honestly. There was something so laid-back about it, a sense of real connection in a way I hadn’t felt in a while. The best part? People actually engaged back. It felt less like a highlight reel of curated perfection and more like a space where real people could share, connect, and just have fun.

So yeah, I don’t get Snapchat. But if you follow me on TikTok, maybe you can explain it to me... preferably in a way that doesn’t make me feel like someone’s out-of-touch auntie.